Chapter 185: “there Is Fatherly Love, But Not Much”
The sky hadn’t brightened yet when Gu Chenghuai opened his eyes. Having slept less than four hours, his spirit was good, his deep dark eyes clear, showing no sign of drowsiness.
He gently moved away his wife’s arm draped over his firm waist and abdomen, his gaze falling on Lin Zhao.
She was wearing a strap nightgown, her arms bare and exposed, fair and slender like willow branches in early spring. Her face was flushed from sleep, a beautiful picture of a beauty in slumber. As if sensing the movement, her long thick eyelashes trembled lightly, and her brows furrowed.
Gu Chenghuai’s tall and sturdy body seemed fixed in place, his breathing becoming gentle.
Seeing his wife fall asleep again, his tense nerves relaxed. His gaze lingered reluctantly, looking deeply at her. He watched her for a long time, virtually caressing her delicate cheek from afar, then carefully got up.
He had just gotten out of bed.
The person on the bed suddenly opened her eyes, sat up, and slowly moved to the edge of the bed, hugging the waist of the man at the bedside.
“Caught you,” her raspy voice carried a bit of smugness. Lin Zhao didn’t open her eyes, rubbing her face against her husband’s waist and abdomen, murmuring discontentedly, “I knew you wanted to leave me behind!”
“You promised to let me see you off, hate you, hate you!”
Gu Chenghuai didn’t move, lowering his head, his expression infinitely gentle as he looked at Zhaozhao’s hair top, his heart softening.
“Too much trouble. I know the way. Aren’t you sleepy? Sleep a bit more.”
Lin Zhao shook her head. “No, I want to see you off.”
She was a bit regretful. “It’s been a long time since I saw you off. I want to go.”
The last time was when they were dating.
Gu Chenghuai held his wife’s hand, the reluctance in his eyes deepening.
“Zhaozhao…”
Lin Zhao looked up, her eyes clear and bright, showing no fatigue. “Don’t say sorry. I won’t listen.”
“There are so many people at home. I don’t feel tired. You’ve done nothing wrong to me. Instead, you’ve given me and the children a good life. You’re a good husband and a good father.”
Her slender jade-like fingers poked at the man’s solid chest.
Her brows and eyes were serious. “I have only one request. No matter what, protect yourself. Remember, the children and I are waiting for you to come home.”
Gu Chenghuai hugged Lin Zhao, burying his face in her neck, his voice hoarse and uncharacteristically childish. “…I don’t want to go.”
Lin Zhao hugged his waist back, deliberately saying, “If you don’t go out to work hard, where will the television at home come from? The three turns and one sound for our three sons to marry their wives, where will Yao Bao’s dowry come from?”
“If you’re young and don’t strive, when will you?”
Reluctance flashed in her eyes as she said, “Days are still long. We’ll eventually be inseparable.”
Gu Chenghuai was comforted, letting go of his hand. He lowered his head to kiss Lin Zhao’s cheek, then her lips, even sucking on them excessively.
“Write to me often.” He reminded her again.
Knowing that after he returned to the troops, there would be many things beyond his control, he added, “I’ll write back to you as soon as I have time.”
Her husband was leaving soon, but Lin Zhao didn’t mind that he hadn’t brushed his teeth before kissing her, smiling gently. “Okay, I’ll write to you, one letter every half month.”
Diligent enough, right?
Gu Chenghuai’s mouth corners curved up, pretending to be calm. “Mm.”
Such a big tsundere.
Lin Zhao glanced at the little red rope on Gu Chenghuai’s right wrist, reached out to tug it, and casually instructed, “Wear this well. Don’t take it off. If it’s gone one day, write to tell me, and I’ll get a new one.”
A smile spread to Gu Chenghuai’s eyes and brows.
“Got it.”
Zhaozhao loved him too much. A perfectly fine girl who had received high school education was starting to believe in superstitions. Wasn’t it just concern causing chaos?
He couldn’t take it anymore; his heart was melting with sweetness.
He’d wear it, definitely wear it.
Even if just to reassure his wife, he had to wear it all the time.
The couple left the room. It was just past four o’clock, the outside sky dimly dark.
While they were washing up, the light in the children’s room turned on. Yu Bao stood on the little wooden stool shaking his younger brother on the upper bunk.
“Heng Bao, wake up. Mom and Dad are up. Let’s hurry too, or we won’t make it.” Afraid of waking the dragon-phoenix twins, his childish voice was very low, almost a whisper.
Heng Bao popped his eyes open. Seeing his brother already dressed, he hurriedly said, “Wait for me. I’ll be quick.”
He sat up, grabbed the neatly folded clothes by the pillow, and quickly put them on.
In a few moments, he was dressed and slid down the slide.
He put on his white shoes, carefully tied the laces, and went out with his brother.
“Why are you two up so early?” Lin Zhao and Gu Chenghuai looked at each other. The couple hadn’t thought of bringing the children.
Yu Bao’s hair tuft on top stuck up, his clothes neatly worn, white shoes clean. A smile on his handsome little face, he said obediently, “To see Dad off.”
Heng Bao slyly looked at Mom and Dad, suspiciously eyeing Gu Chenghuai and Lin Zhao. “Did you forget about me and my brother?”
Did it even need asking?
Yu Bao frowned at his younger brother, his heart twisting like a fried dough twist. Heng Bao said it out loud—what if Mom and Dad really didn’t take them?
Thinking this, he looked nervously at Mom and Dad.
Lin Zhao certainly wouldn’t admit it. “How could we? Your dad and I just got up and were planning to call you after washing our faces.”
“Okay then.” Gu Heng Bao stepped onto the little stool and washed his face at the sink, muttering, “Little friends aren’t so easy to fool.”
Lin Zhao smoothed down the hair spiking up on his head and laughed. “You know about fooling, huh.”
“What’s so hard about that?” Heng Bao happily curved his mouth, his expression a bit smug. “I know a lot. Little Uncle loves giving me and brother lessons. I listen super seriously.”
Yu Bao looked at Heng Bao’s face, trying to see through his thick skin.
The second son really had thick skin.
Among the kids in class, he was the most fidgety.
“Your little uncle cares about you two. Invite him and Li Bao over for a meal this afternoon,” Lin Zhao said.
“Okay.” Yu Bao happily agreed. “Little Uncle has gotten thin.”
After speaking, he seriously brushed his teeth.
“Hungry?” Lin Zhao asked her two sons before going back to the room.
The twins, with toothbrushes in their mouths, shook their heads at the same time.
Not hungry.
“Then let’s go straight. Tell me if you get hungry.”
Lin Zhao returned to the room, did her skincare, tied her braids, grabbed her small shoulder bag, and went out.
The luggage had been packed last night. Gu Chenghuai picked up the green luggage bag and walked out of the room with his wife.
The twins also shouldered their bags, waiting obediently in the yard.
Seeing the luggage in Gu Chenghuai’s hand, the two little friends belatedly realized Dad was going back to the troops.
The two little brothers froze in place.
Heng Bao reacted first. “Dad, when will you come back again?”
Gu Chenghuai said, “I’ll come back when I have leave.”
“What if I miss you?” Heng Bao asked uncomfortably.
Gu Chenghuai’s eyes were full of gentleness as he ruffled his son’s head. “I’ll write letters to you.”
“Aren’t you learning to read? Once you can, you can write to me too. For emergencies, call me. You’ve called before—you know how, right?”
Mentioning phone calls, the two little brothers’ unhappy moods eased a bit.
Yu Bao’s little face was serious. “Dad, write to us often. We’ll miss you.”
Gu Chenghuai was solemn and serious, not brushing off his biological sons who were still little kids. “I will.”
Even if he didn’t think about the children much, he wouldn’t forget Zhaozhao—his wife, the wife he’d finally married.
Heng Bao held his palm up to his dad. “Dad, give me five Da Tuan Jie notes.”
Gu Chenghuai: “…”
Do I look like a Da Tuan Jie note to you?
He did have money, over a hundred bucks—emergency money from his wife. He planned to buy a gift for Zhaozhao with it. What business was it of anyone else’s?
*Anyone else* Heng Bao: “?”
“Do I look like a Da Tuan Jie to you?” Gu Chenghuai glared at him, his fatherly affection turning to dust in an instant.
Heng Bao, with a head full of question marks: “No, why are you asking that, Dad? You’re so weird.”
Realizing his dad was changing the subject, he puffed up angrily. “Don’t dodge. I want Da Tuan Jie.”
He opened his right palm. “Five.”
“None.” Gu Chenghuai ignored him.
Asking for five outright—do you know how much five Da Tuan Jie notes are? What nerve, spoiled rotten.
“How come you don’t even have five Da Tuan Jie?” Heng Bao’s childish voice was full of grievance.
“Without money, how do we buy stamps or make calls? It’s been so long—how haven’t you saved any money…” He said helplessly, exasperated at the lack of steel.
“The villagers say you’re a big earner with real ability, but you have no money at all!” Heng Bao’s big eyes were full of disbelief, heartbroken like someone who’d been swindled out of all their savings.
Gu Chenghuai thought he was used to it, but realized he still couldn’t figure out what nonsense went on in kids’ heads.
Seeing him silent, Heng Bao gave up hope and looked at Lin Zhao, eyes tense. “Mom, can we still afford meals at home?”
“Yes, we can.” Lin Zhao couldn’t help laughing. “Don’t worry. Not only meals—we can afford meat too. Your dad’s money is all with me. Asking him for money? Definitely none.”
She remembered—he’d pulled this before. The second son was at it again, probably influenced by villagers.
Sure enough.
The little kid, so young, said, “Villagers say shopkeepers are all men.”
Afraid Lin Zhao didn’t know what a shopkeeper was, he explained, “Shopkeeper means the one who manages the money.”
Yu Bao added, “Also called the head of the household.”
Kids loved mingling in crowds, easily influenced.
Lin Zhao knew it was picked up outside. She acknowledged, “The head of our household is me.”
“It’s the Old Gu Family tradition. Look at the old house—isn’t it your grandma who manages the accounts?”
“Yes.” Heng Bao nodded.
Changing tone, he added, “Brother Chang Sheng’s family—his dad manages the accounts. His mom just does work and housework.”
Chang Sheng’s mother just didn’t get it, exhausting the man’s trust, so she lost control of the household.
“…Every family is different.” Lin Zhao patted her two sons’ heads.
“Don’t worry, there’s money for phone calls at home. If you two want to talk to your dad, tell me, and I’ll take you to the county to call.”
Heng Bao smiled happily, no longer fussing for Da Tuan Jie.
“Okay.”
Seeing her two sons in short sleeves, Lin Zhao said, “It’s cold in the morning. Take your little jackets.”
The two boys were very obedient, trotting back to the room, taking jackets from the full-length coat rack, quietly exiting the room and carefully closing the door, afraid of waking their younger brother and sister.
If Qian Bao and Yao Bao fussed to go, Mom and Dad would find it troublesome and not take them. No way.
The family of four left in the dark. Lin Xuan and Lin Zheng were at home, plus the fierce and smart Da Huang—no need to worry too much about the dragon-phoenix twins’ safety.
Though Yu Bao and Heng Bao got up early, their energy was abundant. They ran and jumped, not tired at all.
The two little brothers ran ahead, then stopped to wait for Mom and Dad, smiles on their faces, looking happily adorable and likable.
“Run slower.” Lin Zhao called to her two sons.
Yu Bao’s childish voice rose lightly. “Watching the road. First time heading out this early—really novel.”
Heng Bao covered his mouth laughing. “Mom’s up this early for the first time.”
Lin Zhao: “…”
Lin Zhao looked at Heng Bao’s laughing face. “You’ve been beaten too little.”
“Heard school’s resuming classes soon. When it does, I’ll enroll you two. You’ll go to school.”
Yu Bao’s eyes lit up. “Really? I’ll study hard.”
Xingye Ge and the others said school was fun. He really wanted to go.
Heng Bao thought of homework, his little brows furrowing. Hearing his brother, he said, “I’ll study hard too.”
He said that, but why did his little shoulders slump?
Lin Zhao pumped up her two sons with chicken blood. “Mom believes in you. You’re the big brothers—you’ll set a good example for your younger brother and sister.”
The kids not yet six were easy to coax, immediately patting their little chests. “We will, we will.”
Full of anticipation on their faces, looking forward to the first day of school.
They could go to school with Xingye Ge and the others. Once in school, they’d be big friends, able to eat more meat and rice.
Thinking this, their identical eyes sparkled.
The two little brothers were born by Lin Zhao—with one butt cheek twitch, she knew what fart they were holding.
Her eyes were full of laughter.
Noticing Gu Chenghuai looking at her, with the twins on her back, she whispered, “Once they’re in school, they won’t be so easy to fool. We have to teach them bit by bit what needs teaching.”
Hadn’t they developed the habit of self-studying and writing characters gradually?
If they waited until the kids were fully sensible to teach… they might not listen.
Gu Chenghuai’s gaze was gentle. “You’ve put in the effort.”
“It’s nothing. Our kids are all obedient—easy to teach.” Lin Zhao said sincerely.
Her biological father said she was hard to teach as a kid, because her little head was smart, full of reasons from her mouth, and loved haggling with adults—clever as a monkey.
The family chatted and laughed, walking from dark skies to dawn, finally arriving at the train station.
This time, the twins’ spirits weren’t as high as last time, quietly staying by Gu Chenghuai’s side, glancing at him now and then, making the over-six-foot iron-blooded man ache in his heart.
“Yu Bao, I remember you wanted an airplane. Wait till I’m back at the troops—I’ll mail you a model,” Gu Chenghuai said to his eldest son’s face, promising.
Heng Bao looked at his biological father eagerly, eyes sparkling, full of “What about me? What about me?”
Gu Chenghuai continued, “Heng Bao too—I’ll send you a big car model.”
The two sons smiled, their disappointment at Dad returning to the troops easing somewhat.
“Dad, I’ll miss you. You miss us too.” Yu Bao said seriously to his dad.
“Okay.” Gu Chenghuai agreed.
Of course he’d miss his little family. To be precise, he was already missing them before leaving.
“Beep beep beep—”
The train sounded its whistle.
People with bags and packages surged onto the train. Not too crowded, the platform wasn’t packed.
“…Get on the train.” Lin Zhao looked at Gu Chenghuai, reluctant but accustomed. “Send a telegram when you arrive.”
Gu Chenghuai set down the luggage, stepped forward to hug his wife and sons.
Seeing so many people boarding, with some crying around, the twins were affected. Unable to hold back, they hugged Dad’s legs and burst into tears.
“Dad…”
“Dad, I don’t want you to go, waaah…”
The father and sons had spent so much time together daily—it was normal for the kids to be reluctant.
Hearing his sons’ cries, Gu Chenghuai’s eyes stung, his throat clogged.
He’d been reluctant before, but not as torturous as today.
No more letting his wife and kids see him off—his heart was about to explode from the pain.
Platform staff urged those not yet boarded.
“Hurry and board if you haven’t.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhao gripped the twins’ little shoulders, pulling them back, and said to Gu Chenghuai, “Go. Don’t miss the departure.”
Gu Chenghuai took a deep look at his wife and sons, saluted them facing them, picked up his luggage, boarded, and didn’t dare look back.
“Dad!” The twins cried out.
They tried to rush forward but were held by Lin Zhao.
“Danger.” Lin Zhao controlled the two worked-up boys. “Don’t fuss. When there’s a chance, I’ll take you to the troops to see your dad.”
The twins stopped, looking over. “Really?”
“Have I ever lied to you?”
The two little brothers thought seriously for a moment—seemed not. With hope in their hearts, they wiped their tears, eyes eagerly scanning for Gu Chenghuai’s figure.
“Dad, it’s Dad—Dad’s there.” Yu Bao spotted his dad in a certain carriage first.
Lin Zhao brought the children over, looking at the man through the window.
“Dad, Mom says she’ll bring us to the troops to see you when there’s a chance,” Heng Bao said loudly.
Gu Chenghuai patted his head. “Okay, I’ll wait for you. At home, listen to your mom. Don’t make my wife angry, or when I come back, I’ll spank your butt—pants down kind.”
Saying the most infuriating thing to a kid in the gentlest tone.
Heng Bao loudly retorted, “I won’t make Mom angry! I’m the most obedient little friend!”
Time was tight. Gu Chenghuai ignored the second son and turned to Yu Bao. “Yu Bao, you’re the steadiest. Help Mom take care of your younger brother and sister more.”
Yu Bao’s little face tense, he nodded heavily. “Mm.”
Just then, several people hurried over.
The leading old woman shouted, “Don’t rush—some haven’t boarded yet…”
The voice was familiar.
Lin Zhao looked over—it was actually the Lu Family.
They were on this train too.
She instinctively looked at Gu Chenghuai, seeing the man’s tightly furrowed brows.
